Railway sleeper-block



(No Model.)

RpD. CULVER. RAILWAYQSLBEPER BLOCK.

No. 495,396. Patented Apr. 1l, 1893.

ma nonms PETERS co. PNoTuLrmo., wAsnNm'on. n4 1:.

UNITED STATES Pnrniwr OFFICE.)

REUBEN D. CULVER, OF VEEDERSBURG, INDIANA.

RAILWAY SLEEVPER-fBLOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.-495,396, dated April. 1,1, 1893. l

Application tiled April 8, 1892. Serial No. 428.414. (No model.) i

same upon a solid foundation; and finally to provide certain novel means of securing the rails to the blocks wherebyallowance is made for expansion and contraction, and by means of whichthe rail can be quickly and easily attached to, and detached from the sleepers.

With these objects in View my invention consists in the details of construction and combination of parts shown in the drawings and hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side view of a rail secured upon a series of my improved sleeper blocks. Fig.2 is a bottom plan view. Fig. 3 is a transverse section of track taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, and showing the foundations upon Which the sleeper blocks rest. Fig. 4 is a detail showing a somewhat modified construction of securing bolts.

Referring to the drawings 10, 10 indicate the rails of the track and 11, 11, the sleeper blocks upon which they rest. These sleeper blocks are preferably constructed of terra cotta, or other suitable indestructible material, and. are formed hollow as shown and with a broad fiat base, upwardly tapering sides, and a longitudinally ridged or beveled top, the sides of the block having horizontal shoulders 12 produced thereon,about midway their height for a purpose hereinafter explained.

The sleeper blocks are arranged in ditches or trenches at suitable intervals and rest upon a solid foundation 13, consisting of a bottom layer of broken stones, a layer of grouting, and a top layer of sand. By this means a level seat is aiforded and the sinking of the sleeper block avoided. If desired, opposing blocks may be connected at their bases by means of a cross tie rod 14, and if necessarya vfilling of grouting, coal tar, or asphalt may be placedwithin the trench around the sides of the block, as shown at 15.

The rails 10 rest upon the tops ofthe sleeper blocks 11 the bases of said rails being shaped to conform to the ridged or beveled tops'of the blocks andthe rails vare connected with each other by means of the cross tie rods 16., which are arranged at intervals between the blocks. In order to secure the rails upon the sleeper blocks I employ the longitudinal rods 17 which extend along the sides of a series ot' blocks and are arranged beneath the shoulders 12 and to these rods between the blocks are connected the securing bolts 1S, theheads of said bolts being connected with the base of the rail while the end'of the shank is bent around the rod 17, thus securelyr connecting the rail to the rods, and as the rods are held beneath the shoulder ofthe blocks, the rails will be held firm upon the tops of the blocks.

The securing bolts 18 are preferably arranged to cross each other diagonally as shown and connect with the rod upon 4the opposite side of the block and by this means the angle base is secured more firmly upon the rigid top than could be accomplished byarranging the bolt vertically.

For the purpose of making the bolts readily attachable to and detachable from the longitudinal rods and also to allow for expansion and contraction, I coil the body of the shank spirallyas shown at 19 thus providing a spring bolt which is sufficiently rigid to hold the rail to the block, but one which will yield as ternperature requires it, and one which can be readily distended when it is desired to connect or disconnect the bent end of the said bolt. The heads of the bolts may be countersunk in the base of the rail as shown in Fig. 2, or the rail may be provided with vertical ears or flanges 20 and the bolts with hooked ends 21, adapted to fit over the said ears or flanges as shown in Fig. 4.

It will thus be seen thatI provide a sleeper block which will not decay and which being set upon a solid foundation is not liable to settle. The blocks are furthermore held in alignment by means of the cross tie rods, and also by means of the longitudinal secure rods. The rails are connected and braced between the blocks by means of the cross tie rods, thus IOO relieving any weakness -at that point, and by having the tops of the blocks ridged, the bases of the rails angular, and the securing bolts arranged diagonally, I provide a combination which will securely hold the rail upon the blocks and prevent all lateral movement.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with the sleeper blocks of the rods arranged upon the sides of the same, the rail arranged upon the blocks, and the securing bolts connecting the rails and rods, substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination, with the sleeper blocks of the longitudinal rods arranged upon opposite sides of the blocks, the Vrails upon the blocks and the securing bolts connecting the rail and rods and'crossing each other between the sleeper blocks, substantially as shown and described.

3. The combination, with the sleeper blocks having ridged tops of the rails having angled bases and resting upon said ridged tops, the longitudinal rods arranged upon the sides of the blocks and the diagonally crossing bolts arranged between the blocks and connecting the rail and rods, substantially as shown and described.

4. The combinatin, with the sleeper blocks of the rails thereon, the rods upon the sides and the spring bolts connecting the rods and rail, substantially as shown and described.

5. The combination, with the sleeper blocks, of the rails thereon, the rods upon the sides the crossing bolts connecting the rails and rods between the blocks and having a bent end to engage the rod and a spiral shank, substantially as and for the purpose described.

6. The combination, with the sleeper blocks having shoulders on the sides of the longitudinal rods arranged upon the sides and beneath the shoulders, the rails upon the sleeper blocks and the securing bolts connecting rods and rail between the blocks, substantially as shown and described.

7. The combination, with the sleeper blocks having shoulders on the sides ot' the rail upon the blocks, the rods upon the sides and beneath the shoulders, the spring bolts connecting the rail and rods between the blocks, substantially as shown and described.

8. The combination, with the sleeper blocks having shoulders on their sides, the rails arranged upon the blocks, the longitudinal rods upon the sides of the blocks and beneath the shoulders, the securing bolts connecting the rail and lrods between the blocks, the cross tie rods connecting the bases of the blocks and the cross tie rods connecting the bases of the rails between the blocks, substantially as shown and described. i

REUBEN D. CULVER.

Witnesses:

B. I-I. ALLEN, JOHN I-IAUsEN. 

